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NFL Draft 2013 – Wide Receiver Prospect Keenan Allen – California

February 10th, 2013 at 10:45 PM By Mark Mihalko

As the days count down toward NFL Draft 2013, one can feel the excitement start to build. This is extremely evident for fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the free agency period is more of a roster purge than spending spree. Continuing with our NFL Draft profiles, we will break down one of the top rated wide receivers in this class, California wide receiver Keenan Allen. The wide receiver rankings should become clear after the combine, as this is one of the more fluid areas of the draft.

For some scouting departments, wide receiver Allen will provide a challenge to place come draft day. Yes, there is a lot of tape to go through and break down, but scouts and general managers love to be wowed at the combine in shorts and t-shirts and unfortunately, Allen will likely miss the event due to injury.

After breaking down the tape, Allen should be another candidate to come off the board somewhere in the middle of round one, especially to a team that runs a West Coast style offense. Of course, the 6-2, 215-pound junior’s knee injury (PCL) will have to checkout medically for that to happen.

Yes, he does not have blazing speed and will not blow past a cornerback ala wide receiver Mike Wallace; he has the athleticism and deceptive speed to be a mismatch on the outside. He is a dynamic playmaker with good hands, solid route running, and enough top speed to make an impact. More importantly, he is versatile, with experience in the return game, outside and in the slot; something that could pay dividends for his stock during this scouting process.

While he is not a tremendous route runner, in many ways, he is more experienced and polished than Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who he is likely battling for the top receiver spot. If he proves healthy, Allen could be the first wide receiver off the board.